Silanol nest-driven redispersion of sintered PtSn clusters in zeolite for regenerable propane dehydrogenation

PtSn bimetallic catalysts applied in propane dehydrogenation (PDH) reaction suffer from deactivation at high temperatures (500–700 °C) due to metal segregation and Sn-rich cluster formation. This study demonstrates that supporting PtSn catalysts on Silicalite-1 zeolite (S-1) enhances Sn dispersion through interactions with silanol hydroxyl groups, enabling effective regeneration of Pt-rich PtSn clusters even after 15 reaction-regeneration cycles. Comprehensive characterizations reveal that silanol nests play a critical role in redispersing metal species during regeneration, minimizing aggregation, and maintaining catalytic activity. The enhanced metal-support interactions significantly improve catalyst regenerability and stability, addressing key challenges in industrial PDH processes. This work highlights the importance of Sn dispersion and metal-support interactions in designing durable and efficient PtSn catalysts, offering practical insights for sustainable propylene production.